Jennie McShannon CEO of Irish in Britain has welcomed the announcement that RTÉ will retain its Long Wave service until 2017 she said “We asked them to consult with the community and they have!”. Regarding plans to examine the audience and how best to provide a service to them going forward McShannon said “we understand that RTÉ will conduct a robust research project and hope no decision will pre–empt the outcome of this research.” She went on to “thank all of those who signed our petitions and took part in the campaign, it was a real community effort and well done to all”
RTÉ Radio 1 LW will operate a full service in 2015, with reduced hours in 2016 before working towards a full shutdown in 2017. The service was due to end early next year after RTÉ postponed a decision to close the transmitter until 19 January.
RTÉ had previously announced that it would be ceasing its Longwave 252 service from the Clarkstown longwave transmitter on 27 October and migrating its Radio One service to digital platforms.
In a statement, the broadcaster said that in slowing the pace of the longwave shutdown, it has considered contact from listeners and submissions from a range of groups who highlighted that more time was needed to “understand and enable the migration to digital platforms for all listeners”.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan T.D., has welcomed RTE’s decision to continue Longwave Radio services until 2017. During that period, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will fund research into Longwave Services which are of particular importance to many elderly Irish emigrants living in the UK.
Minister Flanagan stated:
“Since RTÉ announced its intention to cease longwave radio services, I have been contacted by many members of the Irish community in Britain and I have heard, first hand, their concerns about the proposed closures. Many of these emigrants are older and are very attached to the longwave radio service which brings RTE into their homes and is, as such, an important link to their home country.
Jimmy Deenihan T.D., Minister for the Diaspora also welcomed the decision:
“I’m delighted with the RTÉ decision. I know that many people in Britain listen to Radio 1 for news and updates from home. But in my visits to Britain, I have learned that many more listen to it as a familiar soundtrack to their daily lives.
“While we may have preferred to see the decision reversed, this is an operational matter for RTÉ and the significant deferral of the closure will give time for people to prepare.”